


The Mask of Shame

by Kelvin_Zero



Series: Star Traders RPG [5]
Category: Star Traders RPG
Genre: Burns, Gen, Masks, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), Outer Space, Ship to Ship Battles, Space Pirates, Space Port, Spaceships, Surgery, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 03:50:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20632613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelvin_Zero/pseuds/Kelvin_Zero
Summary: The Vow I made was brokenI have brought dishonor upon my nameAs a reminder I will bear this tokenI will forever wear the Mask of ShameCaptain Shaft





	1. Matthew Meets The Captain

Matthew waited in the breakfast line for his meal. It was his first morning on the _Vae Victus_ and he was still shaking from the newness of it all. As he shuffled closer to the Steward’s Assistant he thought of everything that had happened just last night.

After months of plotting how to sneak into the docks of Tundeedor, he was shocked they let him in with just a cursory glance at his identification. After finding the “Last Chance,” the local Spice Hall, he waited until a Captain appeared. And one did appear; he was as tall and imposing as he imagined a Captain would be. Broad-shouldered and bearded he wore a yellow hat with crimson trim, a symbol of prominent military rank in House Thulun.

“I am in need of able bodied men and women ready to follow any command I make of them. In exchange I promise a steady wage, fair treatment according to Shalun Law, training, food and board, and a share in any fortunes I obtain.”

At that several people rose to meet the Captain. Matthew hustled to get in the line. He saw the Captain inspect each in turn, sending some to stand with his First Mate and some sending back to their chairs in rejection. Finally standing before the Captain he felt his legs go numb as the man’s brown eyes bore through his.

“You have the smell of land about you. Why should I let you aboard my ship?”

Matthew stammered, uncertain of what to say. “I-I-I want to see what is Out There, I want to experience more than what my life has waiting for me.”

“What waits you is your death,” the Captain said grimly. Then his face softened, “Or perhaps fortune beyond your imagination. Do you still want to board the _Vae Victus_?”

“Yes, more than anything.” Matthew nodded in agreement.

“Well then, meet with my First Mate and he will get you started right away.” The Captain turned around and started walking out the door.

“Sir, wait!” called out Matthew. “You have never told me your name!”

The Captain turned around, smiled and said “The name is Captain John Shaft.”


	2. Matthew Meets His Crewmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Landlubber Matthew makes new acquaintances over breakfast on the Vae Victus.

“Hey, kid! Snap to it!” the Steward’s Assistant was holding out a ladle towards Matthew. Matthew woke out of his reverie and held out his tray. The Assistant dropped a sticky white glop onto it, followed by a similar yellow and brown glops. Ushered along, Matthew found a milk pouch and looked for a place to sit.

The mess hall of the _Vae Victus_ was crowded with fellow crewmen chatting together and readying themselves for their daily tasks. One table had a spot left and he approached that one. Two men and two women sat there shoveling their multicolored meals into their mouths, only paying attention to their own hunger.

“Private Matthew greeting and asking permission to sit down, sirs!” Matthew saluted the diners. The greeting broke their attention to their meal and the four looked at the new person. One, then the others started laughing.

“Oh, wow. You ARE new!” a woman with short cropped auburn hair exclaimed. “First, this isn’t the Army, this is a privately owned ship. Second, you aren’t a Private, you are classified as a Seaman Apprentice. Brutus, stop laughing whenever I say Seaman. Your maturity is showing.” The man addressed tried his best to stifle his giggles.

“Finally, we are all equals here and you do not need to salute us. Now sit down and stop blushing.” The woman sidled over to make room for Matthew.

Chastened but relieved at finding a friendly set of crewmen, Matthew thanked them and sat down. Turning to the woman he said, “My name is Matthew, what is yours?”

“I’m Macie, the immature one is Brutus, the guy sitting to your left is 11811, and the tattooed girl is Cutter,” pointing to each in turn. “I guess you’re with the lot we picked up on Tundeedor, right?”

“Yes, I am. Um, what is this stuff we’re eating?” Matthew poked at the globs.

11811 spoke up. Bald and clean shaven he bore his number as a brand over his forehead. “It is what the Food Processors make from the Water-Fuel our ship carries. The white stuff is grits, the yellow is eggs, and the brown is pancakes. Well, at least it tastes like grits, eggs, and pancakes. Don’t turn your nose up at it, it is far better than what I had to eat back home.”

“So what did your people had to eat back home?” asked Brutus, a large brute with a crooked nose and a toothy grin.

“Each other,” stated 11811. “On the factory moon I escaped from the dead, injured, or otherwise useless were reprocessed into foodstuff. Our owners made sure we knew about it as a means of keeping us in line. Of course once the Cadar Syndicate discovered it they shut it down, executed the owners, and took the freed workers to rehabilitation camps.”

“Gee, 11811, you sent Matthew from blushing to pale with terror,” said Macie. “Are you ok, kid?”

“Um, yeah. So how did you end up on the _Vae Victus_?” he asked 11811.

“I missed the comfort of routine. I couldn’t get into the formal Navy because of my background but I heard about the rouge traders. Captain Shaft welcomed me aboard 6 months ago and I like it here.”

Matthew turned to look at Macie while trying out his meal. It did actually taste as promised. “How about you?”

“Oh, so now we are giving you our origin stories, kid? Do you think you are on some sort of roleplay adventure and we’re NPC’s you are going to recruit? Well, OK. Unlike our friend next to you my story is pretty plain. I’m from Rychart Prime where the unemployment rate is so high, there are more people not working than actually working. I was promised a job as an accountant after graduation only to find the position taken by a Syndicate Initiate. After bouncing around through poor paying jobs when not standing in bread lines, I saw posters about becoming crew members for rouge traders. I said, ‘Macie, it’s better than fighting for scraps’. I signed up with Captain Shaft and now I’m being paid way more than I would have with that accountant job. Of course I also have a higher chance of dying horribly but I think it’s worth it. After a few more years I’ll have enough credits to retire very comfortably.”

“Wait a minute,” said Matthew. “You’re with Syndicate Rychart on a Thulun ship?”

Brutus spoke up. “No, kid you don’t understand. Just because you are born on a planet owned by a House or a Syndicate doesn’t mean you are an actual member. Very few people have actual membership. You have to really prove yourself to even become more than a Guest. What, did you think you were a member of House Thulun just because you were born on Tundeedor?” Before Matthew could stammer back a response Brutus continued. “Even Captain Shaft is only a House Thulun member because he showed his worth to them over the years. But that doesn’t mean he is beholden to them. He can do whatever he wants and work for anyone he wants to. That is what it means to be a rogue trader.”

“Oh,” Matthew muttered. He remembered how his parents took such pride in participating in the House holidays and raising the Crimson Lion flag outside their home.

“Okay, my turn for storytime,” chimed Brutus. “I’m from Rinze, the big mining planet. I was working as a cosmetician at the funeral home. I really loved my job. The next thing I know I’m attacked and thrown in the jail for no good reason.”

“I thought it was for necrophilia,” cut in Cutter.

“I KNOW!” broke out Brutus. “I mean it’s not like I was killing anyone or eating anybody.” Brutus shook his head in disbelief. Macie, Cutter, and 11811 simply rolled their eyes skyward at his cluelessness, while Matthew stared at Brutus.

“Anyway, I find myself before a judge telling me I could either have a “behavioral chip” placed in my brain, be executed, or exiled to never return. Guess which one I chose.” He sat back, his meal finished. “I signed up with Captain Shaft and I’m just waiting to find a world I take a liking too before signing off. Your turn Cutter.”

Cutter was busy finishing off her breakfast. Her hair was shaved into a Mohawk and dyed blue. Her bald scalp was tattooed with depictions of people engaged in various comfortable and uncomfortable contortions. Like Macie she was lightly muscled from her time on the ship. “I don’t have much to say about myself. Let’s say I made some lifestyle choices that my family didn’t agree with. At least here I have no one telling me I can’t pull my own weight. I’m expected to do the best I can do. Captain Shaft is a fair captain and treats everyone properly.”

“Oh, so ‘lifestyle choices’ is what it’s called when a Princess runs away from an arranged marriage,” teased Macie.

“I am no princess!” spat out Cutter.

Macie asides to Matthew, “Everyone just loves to tease her about what her real story is. The princess storyline is the one that gets the most rise out of her. We don’t really know what the truth is but one day we’ll find out.” Cutter glowered at Macie then returned to her meal.

“So kid, you have heard ours, what is yours?” asked 11811.

Matthew paused for a bit. “Well, I’m the son of a sheepfarmer. Our family has been herding sheep for centuries on various House Thulun planets. My grandfather was born and died in the same village I was born in. My father, my uncles, my brothers, my whole family seems happy with living there and doing the same thing every day till it is their time to leave this world. I want more. I want to see other worlds, exotic places, new people, and new experiences. I figured getting on a ship as a crewman would be my change to do that.”

Macie smiled warmly at Matthew. “Well, isn’t that a great origin for a young hero. Stick with us kid. We’ll get you settled in well and soon you will know the _Vae Victus_ like the back of your hand. Captain Shaft brought us from the Core Zone out here to the Frontier in search of fortune. It didn’t quite work out as well as he would have liked and he promised yesterday to get us all back to the Core Zone safely.”

Macie continued, “Of course that coincides with a sweet contract he picked up while on your homeworld. He picked up some passengers who House Thulun would like safely brought to Rift-Leporis 4, where they can get further transportation to some Safehome. I heard from the grapevine the contact is worth millions of Marks*, enough for everyone to make nice bonuses.”

The clock chimed the hour. Cutter stood up and said, “Come on kid, you need to get to your orientation classes. When you are done meet us in Rec room 3. We’ll fill you in on everything Third Mate Johnson forgot to tell you.”

Matthew followed his new friends to the dirty tray stand and out the mess hall door. This would be the beginning of an exciting new life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to Cory Trese (one of the creators of the game this story is based on) one Credit is equal to 1 thousand Marks and one Mark is equal to one hundred shillings. Thus one Credit is equal to 100,000 shillings. The average citizen of a planet would pay for everything in shillings and would have never likely seen a Credit before.


	3. The Education of Mr. Matthew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew adjusts to life on a spaceship and learns the first rules of ship combat.

Matthew will always fondly remember his first few months on the _Vae Victus_. He learned everything there was to know about being a great crewman. He learned the _Vae Victus_ from bow to stern, from port to starboard. This was done primarily as the Second Mate had him run messages and items as fast as possible through the ship. He learned how to speed from the Engine room to Cargo Hold to the Galley to the Helm without bumping into anyone and without missing salutes. Matthew quickly conquered his fears of heights and falling as he sped down stairs and ladders at speeds he would have never dared a year ago.

In addition to the physical education of crew life there was the mental education. Captain Shaft required all crewmen to be literate in both Standard but also several local languages. They were also expected to be fluent in several pidgin languages as spoken in Star Docks, Exchanges, and Spice Dens. He expected Ordinary Crewmen to apply and become Able Crewmen, who would then advance to apply for Officer positions. Captain Shaft expected the men and women to think on their feet, think laterally, and be clever. He would say, “In combat situations you may find yourself in a position to save the lives of your crewmates. Do not fail them by not being clever enough to find a solution.”

But it was not all work and education. Matthew spent his free time with his fellow crewmen in the Recreation Rooms playing various games, dancing and singing. He learned to play the accordion rather well and could belt out "Give Jimmy his Spice Rag" with the best of them.

His favorite game was the Wife Carry, an ancient pre-spaceflight game that had modern uses. Cutter had introduced the game to him. Matthew, Cutter, and several other crewmen were in the Aft Recreation Room readying themselves for the race.

“So what I understand the ‘husband’ picks up the ‘wife’ and carries her any way he can from the starting line to the finish line in the Rec Room 3 in Starboard,” stated Matthew.

“But the team is disqualified if the ‘wife’ bumps into anything during the run due to her partner’s clumsiness. The first team over the finish line wins. The losers have to clean the lavatories, added Cutter.

“Well I don’t plan on us losing.” Matthew knew even on a modern spaceship, lavatory duty was still awful.

“Oh, we won’t,” smirked Cutter.

The announcer called the racers to the starting line and everyone participating lined up.

As the countdown was given, Matthew asked, “Cutter, are you ready?”

“Yep!” and before he could move Cutter had flung Matthew over her shoulder and ran off at the starting whistle.

“B-but I thought you were supposed to be the wife!” sputtered Matthew.

Cutter patted his butt, “Not likely, now keep your head down Wifey!”

Matthew rarely saw or talked to the Captain during these times. His most memorable encounter with Captain Shaft was during combat training. He was learning the Leviathan system, a suit of combat armor designed to give a severe advantage during boarding actions. It was vacuum ready, had the latest sensor and tracking systems, and came with built in weapons in addition to any you chose to carry. A well trained crew with this armor could mow down most standard crews. Matthew had several hours of training with the armor and had actually bested a few of the veteran crewmen in practice. He was ready for his next opponent when Captain Shaft showed up on the training floor.

The Captain wore no armor, only wearing his Thulun military yellow longcoat with crimson trim and a matching tricorne hat with the Crimson Lion cockade. The Captain’s pet, a winged Face-eater snake named Nice was perched around his shoulders. At his command the creature flew over to its perch. He approached the sparring mat.

“I’m up next. Mister Joe toss me a quarterstaff, a regular one.” The Captain was sizing up Matthew still standing in the Leviathan armor. Despite the Captain’s size, Matthew was now a head larger than the Captain. Matthew wasn’t sure what was going on. Surely the Captain wasn’t going to fight unarmored and with just a simple stick?

The Captain starting in a practice routine with the quarterstaff, expertly spinning it before and behind him while speaking. “The rules are simple Mister Matthew, the first one down loses. Otherwise anything goes. Savvy?”

Matthew answered affirmatively and chose a shock baton. He wanted to show his best but he did not want to hurt the Captain, who was still spinning the quarterstaff. He readied to a neutral stance, looking for an opening.

The captain stopped, tossed the quarterstaff to Matthew, and spoke, “Catch.” Matthew instinctively went to catch it. Before the staff reached him, Captain Shaft crouched and leg swept Matthew’s feet from under him. Matthew flew back and landed on his back. Before he could gather himself, the Captain had the quarterstaff pointed at his head. “Do the unexpected, be clever, and never underestimate your opponent.”


	4. The Fateful Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Captain Shaft's luck runs out.

During the long journey to Rift-Leporis 4, the _Vae Victus_ was under orders to run silent. Captain Shaft travelled a route governed by both Thulun and Javat Houses. The Captain acknowledged any friendly or neutral ships and avoided any others. The ship seemed too fast for pirates trying to waylay it. The crew kept the sails and engines in top shape, ready to repair any damage happening along the way. The contract to deliver the passengers and Captain Shaft’s promise to his crew were both too important to risk on raiding vulnerable ships or treasure hunting.

Matthew’s duties as an assistant to the Chief Engineer ran as stretches of routine punctuated by brief episodes of alarm whenever encountering another ship. In 69.51 AE, it finally happened. Matthew was waiting with Chief Engineer Benson in Engine Room One during another alert. The _Vae Victus_ was no more than two sectors from Gamma-Javat II. The Captain was in good standing with Clan Javat and there was no reason to expect trouble this deep in their territory.

When Mr. Benson got the command from the bridge to gun the engines for yet another escape, Matthew knew what to do. As a team the engineer crew set the Vae Victus to full speed. Matthew was awaiting the all clear command when an impact knocked him off his feet. Scrambling up he saw the engine room was in disarray; equipment was damaged and sparking, fires were breaking out and crewmen were injured. Matthew found he had escaped with only a minor laceration on his forehead and set about to stopping the fires.

Matthew could hear Chief Engineer Benson swear profusely. “Mr. Matthew, I need a runner! Communications is down and I need you to tell the First Mate I need more crewmen to stabilize the engines! Go now!”

Matthew nodded in affirmation, handed his extinguisher to 11811, who was also trying to put out fires, and ran out of the engine room. As soon as the doors shut behind him another, worse impact hit the _Vae Victus_. This time he was thrown bodily against several walls and fought to maintain consciousness. He was still by the entrance doors to the Engine Room One but now they were buckling inwards. Looking in he saw in horror that an ever widening hull rupture was sucking out the contents of the room, including Chief Engineer Benson, 11811, and any other crewmen unfortunate to still be in the room.

The hall alerts were blaring for evacuation. Matthew knew if he stayed any longer the door before him would also breach. He needed to get past the next security door before the hallway was sealed and he was doomed. Clearing his head and gathering to run he saw Cutter also in the hallway with him. She was staggering and unable to stand upright. Matthew scooped her into a Fireman’s carry and rushed past the security door before it closed on them.

“Wha...,” Cutter was coming to.

“Guess it’s your turn to get carried,” Matthew replied.

Looking around on their run to the bridge they saw the carnage the blasts had on the _Vae Victus_ and its crew. Fires were breaking out faster than the extinguisher systems could keep up. The pair found no one on their way to the Bridge. When they made it there, Matthew and Cutter found it broken and mangled. The First Mate, the Navigator, and all other personnel were dead, buried under fallen equipment or blasted from explosions. At the helm stood Captain Shaft alone, desperately trying to maneuver a ship alone. He also looked bloody and bruised but was otherwise in one piece. At their arrival the Captain looked back from his duties and exclaimed, “Ah, good! Someones still alive! Mr. Cutter, start doing repairs on the helm controls. Mr. Matthew, check on our passengers and see if they are still alive. If they are, get them to the Safe Room and tell them to enact the emergency protocols.”

Matthew made his way to the Passenger’s quarters through the rubble of the ship. He found Dr. Mavra Gupta, her husband Dali, and their son and daughter alarmed but safe and unharmed. He informed them of the situation and escorted them to the Safe Room. Once they were secure, he returned to the Bridge. There was less sparking and burning now and the Captain had a determined grin on his face.

“Mr. Matthew, take Weapons. We can’t escape, but they are almost as hurt as we are. They must know of our cargo as any normal pirate would have cut their losses by now. If we can tear out the last of their engines before they get ours, we can still escape.”

“Captain, who are they?” asked Matthew as he took Weapons control. Cutter was still busy repairing damaged systems nearby.

“Cadar pirates, from what I can tell. See what your sensors tell you,” Captain Shaft nodded to the sensor screens.

Matthew saw the reading of a large Pirate Barge attempting to circle behind them. The Captain was doing his best with the last three engines to keep them from getting a rear attack or a broadsides. The Barge was also severely damaged from the _Vae Victus_’ salvos; it read also having just three functioning engines, damaged gun systems, missing armor, and ruptures in its hull.

Captain Shaft gave him the battle plan. “We’re both wounded dogs trying to get the final fatal bite. We have an advantage in gunpower but they have almost seventy crewmen ready to board us. If they get close enough they’ll board us and overrun us. If we get too far they will torpedo us to rubble. Try to focus only on the engines and we could survive. I’ll keep them off our tail.”

For what seemed like hours the two ships circled and weaved about fighting for advantage. Captain Shaft fought to keep the engines safe from attack, Matthew nursed the guns to inflict wounds on the Pirate Barge, while Cutter struggled to keep everything alive. Despite their best efforts, eventually the guns of the Pirate Barge found their target. Captain Shaft let go of the helm controls and sighed as the lights went off. The emergency generators came to life immediately but they were only for keeping life support and gravity running. Matthew and Cutter turned to the Captain, awaiting further orders.

Captain Shaft observed the Pirate Barge extending boarding gurneys towards the _Vae Victus_. “Well, I think we need to prepare ourselves for receiving guests. Mrs. Matthew and Cutter, you will find what we need in that locker to our right. Prepare yourselves.” The Captain’s tone was flat and serious.

Matthew and Cutter raced to the indicated locker and opened it. It held cleaning supplies. “Captain?” as Matthew turned to Captain Shaft he saw the Captain spraying Cutter with a mist ejecting from a tiny device in his hand. He found himself on the receiving end of the device just as quickly. Matthew’s knees buckled and he slumped to the floor with Cutter. With the last of his consciousness he heard the Captain say, “Sorry, I won’t lose any more crewmen. Please forgive me.”

Matthew awakened finding himself buried under bodies of dead crewmen. Extricating himself, he found Cutter trying the same thing. The bridge was quiet and there was no boarding party present. The sensors indicated the Pirate Barge was gone. Then his heart dropped when he saw Captain Shaft. The Captain was lying face down, his clothing smoldering. Cutter and Matthew rushed to him and turned him over, putting out the fires. Captain Shaft’s face, chest, and arms were severely burned but he was still gasping for breath. “My gods,” breathed Cutter. “He’s still alive. We have got to get him to the Medic Room.”

They fashioned a gurney from the rubble and quickly made it to the Medic Room. Captain Shaft was struggling to breathe. Matthew rushed back to the Safe Room and brought Dr. Gupta and her husband to the Captain. The doctor quickly assessed the situation.

“Whatever happened, his trachea is swelling shut,” she said. “I need to perform an emergency tracheotomy right now. Love, help me find what supplies they have here. Your two,” indicating Cutter and Matthew, “keep this ship running. We need to get out of here or we are all dead.”

Cutter and Matthew set about securing the ship and repairing what they could. During their efforts Matthew found security recordings that detailed Captain Shaft’s encounter with the pirates. It showed Captain Shaft subduing Matthew and Cutter with the knockout spray and burying them under dead crewmen. The Captain then made an effort to straighten out his outfit and produced a small white flag from his vest. As the enemy crew poured onto the bridge, Captain Shaft presented the white flag and intoned, “Parlay.” Several pirates pointed blasters at him while the rest headed off to secure the ship. Eventually the Captain of the pirate barge showed up. He was dressed as a typical Cadar Captain, with a large blue floppy hat, expensive blue and gold battle jacket, and an impressive but ceremonial cutlass. The Cadar Captain was looking in incredulity at a datapad one of his men had given him.

He walked up to Captain Shaft and tapped him with the datapad. “Water. Almost 38 units of water-fuel in your cargo hold. No artifacts, no weapons, no illegal electronics, no secret packages, nothing indicating why you would have fought so hard against my simple request for a “friendly” meeting. Is there some shortage I haven’t heard about?” the Captain mocked. “Oh, but I am being rude. I am Captain Fromage of the _Picky Beggar_, or what is left of it. And you are?”

“I am Captain Shaft, of the _Vae Victus_. My men and I had travelled from Ursae-Thulun to the far frontier several years ago. I had promised them a safe return to their homelands in return to their great services to me. We were ALMOST home.” Captain Shaft’s voice almost broke with that last part.

Captain Fromage peered into Captain Shaft’s eyes. “Search everywhere. Turn this ship inside out,” he snapped at his crew. “There is something valuable here and he is hiding it.” Several moments passed before the Cadar Captain received another report. Captain Fromage shook his head. Looking at Captain Shaft he said, “It appears I should have believed you. There is nothing of worth on this ship. It appears your mission to return your crew home has failed.” He smiled, “Well I suppose you could at least gather them and give them a decent burial.” Captain Shaft was glowering at him but kept his calm.

Captain Fromage signaled to his crew and they started filing off back to the Pirate Barge. “Well, I simply must be off. You know, places to go , people to rob, treasures to loot. You have a LOT of work to do in order to get what’s left of your ship travel worthy. Perhaps one day we’ll meet under friendlier circumstances and share a pint of Vudka over this incident.”

The last of the Cadar crew had left and Captain Fromage was in the process of leaving when he paused. “Oh, let me give you a parting gift. Catch!” He threw a small round object to Captain Shaft. Captain Shaft exclaimed and attempted to cover his eyes. The ball exploded in fire over the Captain and he was flung backwards. Captain Fromage left laughing at the carnage.

“A magma bomb,” intoned Cutter. “That’s what hit him. What an utter Cadar coward.”

After two days of nonstop work Dr. Gupta asked Cutter and Matthew to come to the Captain’s quarters. Captain Shaft’s quarters had been remade into a makeshift medical bay. On his bed Captain Shaft lay, his head, arms, and chest bandaged with only his eyes showing. A datapad was strapped to his right forearm. His neck was pierced by a tracheotomy device by which he was breathing.

Dr. Gupta informed them of her efforts. “Your Captain has extensive second degree burns over his face and upper body. He cannot talk due to burn damage to his voicebox. We have done everything we can do here without better equipment. He is stable and in minimal pain with the medications we are giving him. Luckily, he had some brain implants placed at some time in his past and I have been able to use them to route his conscious thoughts to the datapad on his arm.”

“With this datapad he can give you his orders,” she continued. “I know most would say an impaired Captain cannot lead, but he is most insistent.” With that Captain Shaft made his way off his bed and slowly stood up. He looked at what was left of his crew with now bloodshot eyes and stood fully upright.

He showed them the datapad which said, **We have a lot of work to do. Mr. Cutter, I am making you First Mate. Mr. Matthew, I am making you Second Mate. As soon as we are able we must head to Gamma-Javat II. We will find what we need there. I will assist you with the repairs however I can**.

Mr. Matthew swallowed hard but saluted. He had never imagined he would become an officer so early in his career but obviously the circumstances dictated it. He prepared himself for a harrowing next few days.


	5. The Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew escorts his Captain to a shady healer.

Second Mate Matthew stood on the gangplank of the _Vae Victus_ alongside First Mate Cutter and Captain John Shaft. The three, working in tandem had successfully landed the battered ship in the stardock of Javat Prime. Located in the Gamma-Javat II system, Javat Prime was the center of power for Clan Javat. Matthew looked out upon the urban cityscape before him in astonishment.

Raised as a sheepherder, Matthew had thought the capital city of Tundeedor was the apex of civilized living. Now he saw what a real city looked like. Skyscrapers danced out to the horizon with hovercars plying an intricate ballet amongst them. Millions of workers and citizens milled about before him in the docks as ships of all shapes and sizes lifted off or landed. Matthew could have spent the day drinking in the sights before him if a major issue didn't concern him, the state of his Captain.

Matthew looked up at his Captain and then to Cutter. She was attempting to assist Captain Shaft down the gangplank while he rebuffed her aid at the same time. Cutter kept silent but Matthew could see the worry on her face. The Captain was wearing an old tan vested jacket that had been altered so as to not be too tight on his body. Peeking through the neck of the jacket were the bandages that covered him from his waist to the top of his head, only letting his mouth, eyes, and the tracheotomy tube show.

On making it to the bottom of the gangplank and finally standing on the dock of Javat Prime, the Captain paused a few minutes to take ragged breaths through the tube sticking out of his neck. Dr. Gupta's interventions had saved his life but Matthew knew the man was in severe pain. Two weeks ago Captain Shaft took a magma bomb to the face and chest courtesy of Captain Fromage, of the _Picky Beggar_. Somehow he survived, but suffered extensive burns. Despite his injuries, he insisted on participating in the repairs to the _Vae Victus_, partially due to stubbornness and partially due to Matthew and Cutter being the last two of his crewmembers who survived the attack. But Matthew knew the Captain was paying a terrible price in pain every moment he stayed mentally clear enough to help.

Matthew started typing on his infopad to search for a hospital when the Captain tapped his shoulder. The Captain was showing him and Cutter his own datapad, his only means of communication as his larynx was damaged from the attack. It read: **We have made it to Javat Prime as I commanded and you have performed well in adversity. Now we have a serious matter to discuss. Both I and my ship are severely crippled. Without assistance we may not make it off this planet. You have done far more than what would be expected of crewmen. I would not begrudge you should you chose to seek your fortunes elsewhere. I have deposited your pay into your private accounts scaled to your status as officers. On that you could live comfortably and safe on Javat Prime for a while as you decide your next steps. What are your decisions?**

Matthew looked in astonishment at the Captain and glanced at Cutter. On her part she stepped in front of Captain Shaft and poked him in the chest, making him wince slightly.

"I can't believe you would think we would abandon you now! You need help and we still have a mission to finish. They need us and you need us! Matthew, are you with us?" She looked to Matthew.

Matthew knew his mind. He saluted and said, "Captain Shaft, your Second Mate is awaiting your orders."

Captain Shaft could not smile and he could not speak. He could only nod his head in approval. He straightened his posture more and tried to look more like a Captain rather than a broken man. He showed his crew of two his orders on the datapad. **Well then this is what we will do. Mister Cutter, inform our passengers of our situation and have them hold up in the saferoom until you return. I want you to go to the Miller Brothers Shipwrights and tell them to be ready to work on the _Vae Victus_. Tom Miller and I go back a long way and we can trust him with the repairs. Meet him in person only. No online communications. After that return to the ship and guard our passengers. Mister Matthew, you will accompany me to the Doctor.**

An hour later Matthew found himself accompanying his Captain into "The Sorrowful Widow", a spicing tavern in the Javat Spicer Zone. The place was a worn down mess with rusty steel ceiling beams, dirty windows, and dirtier waitresses. The floor was sticky from old uncleaned materials he did not care to define. The only other spicer hall he had been in, "The Last Chance," was a syndicate prince's palace compared to this place. However, Captain Shaft walked steadily through as if he knew who he was looking for.

Any patrons near the Captain backed away and found elsewhere to sit, either due to his confidence or his appearance, Matthew did not know. But one figure looked in interest. It was to this man Captain Shaft was approaching. The figure was cloaked in a dark but nondescript cloak with a hood shielding his face from view. The stranger got down from his barstool and stood before the Captain, apparently evaluating him. The Captain brought out a small pouch and handed it to the hooded man. The jingling of the coins inside apparently pleased him as he nodded in approval and motioned them to follow him.

Leaving by a back door Captain Shaft followed the hooded man out of "The Last Chance" into the streets. Matthew closely trailed behind his Captain while trying to keep his bearings. He trusted neither the situation nor the strange man who was leading them. The trio weaved through dank alleyways and dirty streets until they came to what looked like an abandoned warehouse. The pair followed the hooded man into the building, which appeared sooty and burned. Stopping at a support pillar the man pressed a passcode on a keypad and a passageway opened from the floor. After going down several flights of stairs and barriers, they arrived at a relatively clean entryway. Here the man moved back his hood and announced, "Welcome to the office of Doctor Ardway, Technologist."

Matthew had heard of the Technologists as a child. In this modern age, medical science was capable of great things and many diseases, ailments, and cancers that plagued pre-spaceflight man had been completely eradicated. But there were still things that eluded accepted science's grasp and other things that man was not meant to know. The Technologists however believed in pursuing knowledge well beyond where anyone else wanted to go. Their experiments and studies drew condemnation from society at large and many were executed a century ago. But there were still whispers of some surviving, continuing their mad and evil experiments in the dark corners of society and space. Apparently Captain Shaft wished to deal with one such monster to save his life.

Captain Shaft allowed himself to be escorted to a room where his jacket was removed and his vital signs were taken. Matthew followed him the entire time, never letting him leave his sight. Although the nurse administering to the Captain seemed clean and well dressed, even normal, he still did not feel comfortable here. The Captain, in contrast appeared relaxed and was taking calm even breaths. The Captain showed him his datapad which read **Relax, we are safe. I have done this before.**

Shortly after the nurse left, Doctor Ardway entered the room. He was a prim and clean-appearing gentleman with a calm demeanor and a stiffly starched labcoat. He appeared to Matthew like a regular physician, at least initially. Captain Shaft and the doctor communicated about how the Captain came to be in his present condition. The doctor listened attentively and asked investigative questions, jotting everything in his datapad. With his assistants he undressed Captain Shaft and examined him thoroughly, giving anesthetics to make the situation more comfortable. Matthew started to relax and feel more comfortable seeing the good care his Captain was receiving. 

Doctor Ardway had just finished placing fresh dressings on Captain Shaft's wounds and was mulling the situation. "Well, I understand your need to be healed as fast as possible and I have several ways to do that. The easiest way would be to fast-clone your body and place your brain in the new homunculus."

Matthew sat bolt upright at that but refrained from saying anything. However, the doctor caught the reaction. "I assure you my lad, I've done it many times for my clients and I have never had any complaints. It is the easiest way to deal with extensive injuries. Your Captain would be the same man as he ever was, just with a fresh new body!"

The doctor glanced over the Captain's datapad. Pointing to it he said, "Well it appears your Captain agrees with you. It is true, not everyone feels comfortable with having a fresh body if most of the old one is still in decent shape. The harder option would be to place you in a Nano-Chamber and program the nanites to rebuild your lost skin and tissues. I would need recent pictures to work from. I do warn you that you will need to be awake at times so we can be sure the nerves are being repaired correctly and that can be exquisitely painful. But I could have you healed in about two days and you would walk out of here no worse for wear."

Matthew turned to his Captain on hearing this. "Captain, you do not need to do this. We could-"

"What," Doctor Ardway interrupted, "Take him to a State hospital and have their people work with him? True they could eventually repair his body but it would take months, even years before he would be whole again using their methods. However, they would never take him. He, like many Captains before, have sought out and used the help of the Technologist Doctors. The State Doctors would detect that eventually and throw him out the hospital, if they don't try to kill him. No, my friend, we are the only chance he has."

Captain Shaft showed Matthew his datapad. **I know you are concerned about my safety. I am glad for that. But it needs to be done this way**. Captain Shaft turned to Doctor Ardway, his datapad saying,** I consent to the nanites. What is your price?**

Seeing Matthew sit back reluctantly, the doctor nodded affirmatively. Turning to the Captain he said, "For you, only twelve-hundred Credits."

Matthew tried to keep his composure while his Captian calmly paid the Doctor. Twelve-hundred credits was well over a million Marks, more than his home village had ever made in a generation. An entire hospital could have been built back home for that price. And here was Captain Shaft calmly paying that ransom in one smooth movement.

For the next two days Matthew kept watch over his Captain as he writhed soundlessly in the frothy liquid of the Nano-Chamber. He was completely submerged in the liquid, his lungs filled with a super-oxygenated liquid filled with busy nanites. Restraints kept him from escaping or injuring himself further. Slowly, lost tissues and even hair were returning to Captain Shaft's body. Finally he was decanted from the Chamber and allowed to rest. Matthew looked at the man finally resting peacefully in a hospital bed, finally whole again. Exhausted himself, he nodded off also.

A tap on his shoulder woke him. Captain Shaft was finishing buttoning up borrowed clothes. He appeared refreshed. "Mister Matthew, are you sleeping on the job? Well, we need to get back to the _Vae Victus_. We have a lot of work to do."

"Yes, Captain." Matthew replied as he stood up. "It will take a lot to get the _Vae Victus_ spaceworthy again."

Captain Shaft smiled, "No my lad, we need to plan a party!"


	6. The Mask

_The Vow I made was broken_  
I have brought dishonor upon my name  
As a reminder I will bear this token  
I will forever wear the Mask of Shame  
Captain Shaft

Second Mate Matthew was not a happy man. But it was not for any reasons one would usually suspect. He was not upset that the _Vae Victus_ was sitting in the Javat Prime docks awaiting extensive repairs. He was proud that he was able to assist his Captain John Shaft in bringing the ship to safety after the disastrous encounter with the Cadar Captain Fromage. He was not upset about the crew having been reduced to himself, First Mate Cutter, and the Captain. He knew his Captain was charismatic enough he would easily be able to recruit new crewmen.

He was only slightly put out with his experience with the Technologist Doctor. As the end result was his Captain being whole and healthy again, he could now understand why Captains sought out their forbidden and dangerous artistries. He was not upset at the Captain spending over a thousand Credits on his first Promotional Ceremony with Clan Javat. Back when he was Matthew the Sheepherder back on Tundeedor the idea of spending over a million Marks on a party would have sounded insane but he was in a different lifestyle now. A thousand Credits was small potatoes compared to what many Captains spend for business and pleasure.

But still a thousand Credits got you one heck of a party. It was being held in one of the many ballrooms of the Jade Blossom, the residential palace of Prince James Amygdala, the Javat High Consul. This "small" room was as large as a narfball stadium and held numerous courtiers and sycophants, all here to see the new darling of the Javat Court, Captain Shaft. It was the most opulent thing he had ever seen, with walls lined with actual sheets of jade highlighted with emeralds and gold trimmings. Rich carpets and wall murals annotating Clan Javat's successes accented the room. Entertainers from all over were in attendance and were singing, dancing, and enlivening the evening. Normally only the elite would be allowed to physically attend with commoners such as himself only able to see the proceedings by holoscreen on one of the entertainment channels. However Captain Shaft used his privileges to allow not only himself and Cutter to attend but also Dr. Gupta and her family.

Even that last detail was not why he was upset. Dr. Gupta and her family were the "cargo" the Captain promised to get safely to the Rift Trading Camp on Rift-Leporis 4 all the way from his Thulun frontier home planet of Tundeedor. Normally they should stay on the ship hidden in their saferoom in case an enemy faction tried to kidnap or murder them, but with the _Vae Victus_ so compromised, Captain Shaft felt it best they stay under his watchful eye at all times.

Therefore Matthew was not upset he was attending Captain Shaft's Promotional Ceremony wearing a costume that made him look like a antropomorphic sheepdog, complete with a Shepherd's crook and garb, "furry" gloves, and an anamatronic tail jutting from the back of his pants. First Mate Cutter was dressed just as he was but with a wig with blond ponytails and the Guptas were dressed as sheep people to complete the theme. Of course everyone at the Ceremony were costumed in various outlandish costumes including Prince Amygdala himself. The Captain's idea was apparently a hit with the court and was sure to bring a welcome change from the Naked Orgies that had started to fall out of fashion.

Thankfully Matthew and Cutter's masks were actually holomasks, bands they wore on their heads that projected the illusion of a mask over their faces. It allowed them their full visual and auditory fields while projecting a dog's face over their own. More advanced devices could mimic almost any shape even up to other people's faces. In addition their Shepherd's crooks were actually disguised shock staves, just in case the Gupta's encountered any trouble. Of course the Gupta's and their guardians were staying in a balcony suite overlooking the Ceremony with a locked exit door and a privacy screen preventing anyone from peering in while letting the Gupta's observe the events. 

No, what made Matthew unhappy was what had happened just before the Ceremony. Back when they were desperately trying to repair the _Vae Victus_ in Deep Space, Captain Shaft insisted on making sure the remains of his crew were collected and stored in the cargo hold. From Matthew's earlier discussions during the journey he had come to understand the custom was to cremate any remains and eject them into space, a proper spaceman's burial. But Captain Shaft was breaking tradition, insisting his men be "returned to their homelands."

The day before the Promotional Ceremony, Captain Shaft, Cutter, and Matthew went to the Restful Shores Cemetery, a graveyard for retired spacers near the Javat Prime docks. They brought urns bearing the cremated remains of crewmen Jim Ticker and Barnaby Sims, the only Clan Javat-native crewmen identifiable from the disaster. Cutter and Matthew were dressed in their new officer's livery, clean and white in contrast to the gloomy atmosphere surrounding them. Cutter had even let her hair grow out to a proper crop cut completely hiding her scalp tattoos. She had washed out the blue dye thus revealing her naturally raven black hair. She now looked like a proper First Mate. The Captain was wearing a somber grey military uniform with gold piping and a matching peaked cap for the occasion.

At first everything was proceeding normally. They had placed the remains in a small mausoleum, a minster said the appropriate things, and the funeral director sealed the tomb's face and placed a nice wreath. But the Captain stayed well past after everyone left, puzzling his remaining crew. After about an hour it began to rain and still the Captain stayed, seeming to mutter under his breath the whole time. Matthew, feeling uncomfortable about the whole situation reached up to touch his Captain's shoulder saying, "Captian, don't you think we need to be going befo..."

On feeling Matthew's touch Captain Shaft turned his face swiftly to him. His face, cortorted in a grimace of sorrow, was stained with water. Matthew tried to rationalize it as just the rainfall but he knew what it really was.

"Of course you're right Mister Matthew. Come on you two, let's get back to the ship," Captain Shaft said in a hushed voice as he ambled to the graveyard exit. Cutter was giving her Captain a concerned look as she followed behind him. By the time they had arrived at the _Vae Victus_, Captain Shaft was back to "normal," animatedly and eagerly talking about his plans for the upcoming ceremony down to every detail. It was as if the anguish he had displayed earlier had never happened.

Matthew made excuses of needing to have a night on the town alone and was allowed a shore leave for the night. He immediately made his way to the spice district and made contact with the man who had earlier brought him to Doctor Ardway. On finding the Technologist he discussed Captain Shaft's behavior at the graveyard.

"Very interesting but not at all uncommon," said the Doctor. "You must understand that a Captain is a unique type of person; they must have not only the physical strength and stamina to handle a hostile galaxy but the mental strength and persona to withstand the many pressures on them. No ordinary person could survive what they must handle. Thus it is not unexpected that some "quirks" will begin to show up over time."

"Your Captain suffered significant burns over his body, the near annihilation of his crew, and the near destruction of his ship. I suspect he is suffering severe guilt combined with depression and is internalizing his feelings over it," the Doctor concluded.

"Is there anything you can do for him?" Matthew asked, concern on his face.

"Well, there are a few things I can do, but it would all require his consent," he replied. "The problem is I have a hard time believing you will be able to convince him to see anyone about this. He could easily kill you just for suggesting there is something mentally wrong with him. If you think he is a danger to himself and his crew you would be safer abandoning him."

Matthew stood up and glared down at Doctor Ardway. "I would never abandon Captain Shaft. He's been good to me since I met him and now he needs my help to complete this mission." He calmed down. The Doctor was only being practical. "Hopefully once the mission is over and he has paid his self-imposed debt he will go back to normal."

But now, as he stood on guard over the Guptas while watching the panoply of courtiers greeting Captain Shaft down on the main floor, he felt that "normal" might be a long time coming. The clues were in the Captain's behavior and the Mask he wore. 

Captain Shaft used to drink just as any ordinary man did but the entire party he stuck to nonalcoholic drinks. Did he fear a loss of control if he let his inhibitions go? The Captain kept to his Seat of Honor and rarely caroused around, keeping to a minimum the amount of people communicating with him. He seemed to deflect conversations to focus on the interesting personages near him instead of allowing himself to be the topic of discussion. This did work in his advantage as it made him seem mysterious and exotic, a rare commodity apparently.

But his Mask was what really worried Matthew. Captain Shaft was dressed in the brilliant green formal robes of a Clan Javat Recruit complete with a light blue band running down the right edge of the matching cloak. His mask was configured to appear as the Javat Sun, golden and even gleaming with rays of light emanating from the sides. The face had a permanently benevolent stare. It never changed. Everyone else's holomasks were designed to mimic their facial expressions; blinking, staring, frowning, even opening when they ate or drank.

He could not tell what the Captain was thinking with that Mask on. Was he happy, bored, or irritated? Or was he still grieving and keeping to himself in a room full of masked strangers? Matthew thought to himself it didn't really matter what happened at this party tonight as long as the Guptas were safe. Tomorrow they would start repairing the ship, gathering and training new crewmen, and after a few days they could be off to Rift-Leporis 4.

Matthew's worries were cemented the next morning when he met Captain Shaft in the mess room now in a more standard Javat captain's ensemble but still wearing his Holomask. The Mask was now synchronized to his facial expressions and the radiating light had been muted down considerably, but it was still disconcerting to see a sun greeting you with a "Ah, Mister Matthew! Come join Mister Cutter and I as we discuss the morning's business."

Matthew sat down as ordered. The Javat Sunface turned to Cutter and continued an interrupted conversation. Matthew looked at Cutter for clues but she was keeping her facial expression as neutral as possible. As if nothing was wrong the three put together a plan to have the solar sails and engines fully repaired while leaving the more extensive gun battery and hull repairs for their return to Thulun space, where the expenses would be less burdensome. Captain Shaft seemed to be in a great mood, even excited to get everything underway. Of course Matthew knew he would feel better if his Captain would just take off the Mask.

Sated from his meal and the conversation, Captain Shaft stood up, his face beaming on his officers. "Now if there is no other business, I believe we need to get our plans into action." He started to push his chair under the table.

Cutter looked at Matthew with a now worried expression and then towards her Captain. "Well, there is one item, Captain," she said. Captain Shaft paused in his motion. "Sir, when are you planning on taking off your party mask? I know the party was fantastic and more than I had ever experienc.."

The Sun of Javat changed into a frowning white skullface. Captain Shaft stood upright and stared with dull brown eyes at them. "I am NEVER taking off this Mask." He began to intone: 

_"The Vow I made was broken_  
I have brought dishonor upon my name  
As a reminder I will bear this token  
I will forever wear the Mask of Shame"

"Do either of you have a problem with this?" the Captain asked.

Matthew and Cutter slowly looked at each other and then to their Captain. As one they replied, "No, Captain."

With that the Sun of Javat returned and his eyes brightened again. Captain Shaft finished replacing his chair under the table. "Well then! Now that it's settled, let's get to work!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this story in 2011 and it sat on a google Blog for years until the urge to start writing stirred again. I don't know if I'll finish this story. In the game Captain Shaft finished his mission to deliver his passengers and I think he had a few more adventures before getting killed in a ship battle. He never met Captain Fromage again (since he was an unnamed NPC piloting a Pirate Barge). Maybe I'll flesh out the Captain's fate and how Matthew and Cutter survive but I'll likely have to get reacquainted with the game as I haven't played it in years.


End file.
